There were the newshounds, packed in around Rob Gronkowski's podium tighter than commuters on the Tokyo Metro. There were the former pros in their tailored suits, gliding through the crowds and greeting the players on familiar terms. There too were the model-presenters in their slinky dinner gowns, flirting shamelessly with their interviewees. And there, of course, were the self-publicists in fancy dress. "I think next year they're going to incorporate my name into it," announced Nickelodeon's Pick Boy – a regular at this event in his bright orange superhero get-up: "The Super Pick Boy Bowl."

All of the above are par for the course at Super Bowl Media Day, an event which began as an opportunity for the press to speak to the protagonists ahead of the NFL's championship game but somewhere along the line developed a life of its own – growing into a televised circus that has lately seemed to be as much about the people asking the questions as the ones answering them. There was one new element this year, however. Or to be precise, roughly 7,500 of them.

That was the number of supporters that the NFL allowed into Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, for this, the first ever Media Day played out in front of a live audience. At a price of $25 the cynic might have wondered if they could truly attract such a crowd for what is, at root, a glorified press conference yet the demand was sufficient that the scalpers were out hawking tickets at above face value. The first punters were already in their seats a good hour before the scheduled 10am start, some already tucking into their first snacks from the concession stands.

Most seemed content with their return on investment – rather too content, in fact, with the crowd acceding to an appeal made over the public address that fans "please be respectful" towards the two teams. With more than half the audience sporting Colts jerseys one might have expected at least a smattering of boos for New England, their great rival of the past decade. Instead, even Tom Brady was cheered. "He's still a good guy, you have to respect him," offered one Colts' season ticket holder. "There's sense making Indianapolis look bad by booing."

In return for such good behaviour they were rewarded with a slightly disappointing spectacle, a Media Day light on both bravado and whimsy. Pick Boy aside, the 'characters' seemed less colourful than usual – a TV crew with a glitter ball here, a man in a hat testing the Patriots on their patriotism there, but certainly nothing compared with the scene when these two teams met in Miami back in 2008 – when Tom Brady was one of a number of players who had to fend off persistent marriage proposals from TV Azteca's Ines Gomez Mont – dressed in full bridal gown.

Even Chad Ochocinco – the Patriots receiver who criticised his fellow pros for not giving more interesting answers after trying his arm as a journalist at the 2010 Media Day was subdued. Mobbed by reporters hungry for a soundbite, he refused to rise to the bait when asked if he was upset not to get his own podium (hardly surprising, in reality, given his status as a back-up), saying: "Why do I need a podium? I've got 3 million followers on Twitter". Mostly, though, he just seemed a little sad.

The day's greatest drama, then, came right at the beginning, when the Patriots emerged and the press corps immediately noted that Gronkowski was no longer wearing the walking boot that he has been using to protect his injured ankle. The tight end was walking without a discernible limp, but resisted the pressure to make a pronouncement on his status for Sunday, echoing Belichick's previous suggestion that they would take things "day-by-day".

But if there was grumbling among journalists on the short ride back to the Media Center, then such ennui did not seem to extend to the fans, whose regular bursts of cheering and laughter provided a novel and welcome (if occasionally disorienting, for anyone not attending the relevant podium) backdrop to the event. They got to hear first-hand Wes Welker's excitement at the quality of the jacuzz in the Colts' facility, Osi Umenyiora failing, when challenged, to spell Bill Belichick's name correctly and Tom Brady urging Gronkowski to write a message to his mother on his ankle on game-day.

"It's an event, it's in our city, it's fun to see," continued our Colts season ticket holder. It is a safe bet that next season there will be even more fans on hand to do so.

A question of support

As requested by @ElFern on Twitter, I took the opportunity to ask London-born Giant Osi Umenyiora whether he supported a soccer team back in the city where he was born. His answer suggested a man who didn't like being pinned down to a single allegiance.

"Man, I have so many of them," said Umenyiora. "My favourite used to be Chelsea, but I don't know what's going on with them right now. Man U has always been my team. Rooney, I love Rooney, Nani all my guys … Right now my favourite team is actually Real Madrid, I don't know how happy they [United fans] will be with me about that, but it's a different league, it's not like it's the EPL. But as far as English football teams Man City … no, sorry, United!"

Advised that the latter was not a mistake that would go down well with some fans, Umenyiora suggested it might have been more than a slip of the tongue. "I know, I know, I know. But I like Man City now though, I think they're playing very good football. I like the acquisition of Kun Aguero … Man U, Man City, is that really a really big rivalry?

"I mean it is, but it's not like it's … Man U v Chelsea is a bigger rivalry right now than Man U v Man City. I know they're in the same city, Man U and Man City or whatever, but I think Man U v Chelsea in the last five years has been a bigger rivalry."

To be fair to Umenyiora, he does genuinely seem to follow the game - subsequently referencing City's 6-1 win over United this season. As one fellow journalist subsequently pointed out – there aren't many Premier League footballers who could offer any opinion on relations between the Giants and the Jets. And frankly, if he does want to support all those teams, it would take a brave man to argue with him.